After a car crash of any kind, adrenaline runs high. You were just involved in a sudden and unexpected situation. People have walked away from accidents deeply wounded and failed to immediately recognize their injuries. Even if you don’t have visible injuries, always stop by a health care facility for an evaluation. This will serve as your baseline for after-accident care.
Monitor your health and wellness over the days and weeks following the accident. Some injury symptoms will not appear until sometime after the incident occurs. If you notice any unusual signs or symptoms, go back to your physician and explain your situation. Keep records of every visit you make, your treatment regimen, and how you feel.
Look for These Signs and Symptoms
Depending on your accident, your health care provider may recommend watching for specific warning signs. For instance, if you hit your head, he or she may ask you to report any unusual mood swings, headaches, or feelings of nausea that might indicate a head or brain injury. Always listen to your health care provider before anything you read online. These are merely common warning signs and symptoms. Actual experiences vary from person to person.
If you notice any of these signs in the weeks after an accident or incident, contact a health care provider for further evaluation:
1. Persistent headaches.
The presence of frequent and/or painful headaches may relate to the stress of the situation or a more serious health condition following an accident. Headaches may indicate the presence of whiplash injuries, brain injuries such as concussions, and blood clot complications.
2. Back pain.
After a sudden impact, your spine may experience injuries such as compression fractures, disc herniation, or other conditions that may cause chronic pain.
While car accidents can cause temporary pain from back strain, a medical professional can run the tests needed to see if your injury is more severe.
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries associated with rear-end accidents. During a sudden jolt or stop, the neck may move past its typical range of
motion and cause damage to the soft tissues. In severe cases, the condition can lead to dizziness, problems with hearing, and chronic neck pain. Some whiplash injuries heal on
their own over time, but others requires surgery and more intensive treatment regimens.
4. Differences in personality or cognitive ability.
Problems with memory, focus, energy levels, mood, and personality all point to potential head injuries. In some cases, whiplash
can also cause changes to your personality and ability to concentrate. If someone says you’re acting strange after an accident, consider scheduling a checkup for additional
testing.
5. Mental health problems.
After severe accidents, victims may suffer from PTSD, anxiety, and depression. If you have difficulty getting behind the wheel or functioning normally
due to fears and mental trauma, seek help.
6. Loss of sensation or mobility.
Unexplained numbness may indicate the presence of a nerve or spinal cord injury. Some peripheral injuries may resolve on their own, but more
serious ones can cause permanent damage.
7. Bloating, pain, or swelling in the abdomen.
Contact emergency services if you see significant bruising and/or experience serious pain and swelling anywhere in the
abdominal region. Internal bleeding can turn into a life-threatening situation.
8. Tinnitus or problems with your vision.
These symptoms are associated with head and spinal injuries. If the ringing in your ears doesn’t go away after a few hours or you start
experiencing blurred vision or double vision, contact a health care professional.
If someone else was at fault for your injury, consider talking to a personal injury lawyer about taking action to recoup losses associated with medical expenses and time away from work. You have the right to pursue compensation after suffering from a serious injury.
Sources: http://ktar.com/story/605000/7-delayed- injury-symptoms- after-a- car-crash/
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what- if-my- accident-injuries- dont-show- up-right-
away.html
http://michaelgleibermd.com/news/auto-accidents- dangerous-spine/